Method and apparatus for forming sanitary napkin attachment loops



G. E. KLOCK June 24, 1952 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING SANITARY NAPKIN ATTACHMENT LOOPS Filed April 1, 1948 2 SHEETSSHEET l G. E. KLOCK June 24, 1952 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING SANITARY NAPKIN ATTACHMENT LOOPS 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed April 1, 1948 Patented June 24, 1952 PATENT :oFFicE iGeorgeiEvKlnck, Kenmore, N. Y., assignorltovlnterna-tional Gellucotton Products JCompany,

-..Ghicago,.Ill.,-:a.corporation of"Delaware I Application April- 1, 1948;Serial No; 18,424

reclaims.

:1 This-inventionrelates to a' method andz-apparatus -mr -prepa'ring --atta'chment r loops fort ab- :so'rbent bandagespsuchcatamenial napkins. It is the m'ainobje'et-pfthe present invention o 2 uponitself in the direction. of; its ;length while being stretched transversely 1 ands as; an incident to such stretching. This characteristic of knitted tubular zmaterial; lends such" material .to the: pro- "to provide-an 'iniproved':method and' apparatus 5 rductionof attachmentlo,ops,-such as the loop I. 'forpreparingcord like-loops 'for subsequent at- Loopsso formedaare verysoft-and flexible. in tachment' to sam'tary napkins? to provide such :character so that they are well adapted ford-sani- 'a method-arid apparatus-Which willlend itself tary napkinattachmentloop purposes. -to' automatic= operation to provideuapparatus of To produce a theaidescribed loops from; tubular relatively simple' -character -Which Will operate i *knitted .materiaLe: a? roll 3110f collapsed; flattened with-high e'fficiency to produce atta chment loops tubular "knitted materiatgis suitably mountedron -'"-forthe purpose set-forthrandj -ingeneral, it 'is :aspindlefl in: suchxamanner that the lengthpf theobject of the invention-topm'vide anelficient, tubing mayt be::easi1y withdrawn: frometherroll. practical, and automatic-method and-apparatus Theitubing length :isxpassed between a-rotary forproducing cord-like -'loops for attachment to I cutter 5 and a cooperating anvili fivvwhichoperate sanitary-napkins, to partially vsever?the'Jtubingytransversely. The ""O'ther obje'ctsand-advantagesof the invention cooperating-cutter and anvil are so t'crmed-nthat willbe understood by'reference"to the following the tubingtis only partially severedninpsuchfla specification 1 and accompanyin'g drawings (2 manner thatsmalll bonds hare leftbetween-the T sheets '-wherein there -is illus-trated theimproved sections .of: tubingon opposite sides: of each line m'e'thod an'crasseiected"embodiment'ofapparatus of partial severance; Fromzthe *cirttingomechafor preparing cord -likeloops amording to the nism' the. partially: severed-I tubing :8"mayibe*' fed improvedmet'hod to mechanism for rewinding-thessevered rtubing In-thedraWings: into a rolli'for subsequent use,":or iti may-wbei fed 1 is. arp'erspectiveillustrating the general directly to mechanism for' distending the-severed arrangement of app aratus 'forpreparing the cordtubing, sepa'ra'ting the sections a thereofands exlikeiloops; 'panding or stretching the same into lthe* form ""Figi'2 is-a side'e'levation ofa'porltion" of "the ap- "of-"cord-like loops such asrepresented at [in paratus shown also'inFigf l -"Figi 5.

Fig.2 3 "is" a: cross section through" a 'portion' of The cutting roll" 5 of the=- severing mechanism thepapparatus shown alsoiriFig: 1; consists of a roll or drum fl'mountd on a shaft iEig."4 is a fragmentary .illustrationiof: the? mal -l li -Which issuitably -journaledin bearings I I the terial in the-"condition in"which"it iside'livered'by bearings being supportedwn suitable frame posts a portion oftheme'chanism; I2-Whi'ch extend upWardlyf-rom'a base [3. "The TEig. 51.15 a'perspective illustratingithe' finished shaft 10 with the roll fl securely mounted-thereon, T form. of. anattachmenti, loop'made according" to may be rota-ted at the' desiredspeed by -anysuit- 'thepresent inventiomand able drive means "(not shown). "-The roll is .Z'Flig. 6,isa'diagrammaticillustration of adetail "equipped with -a series *of =circumferentially of slitted tubing produced "accordingfltd the-inspaced cutting-plates or kn'ives M==whichare .vention. v anchored inthe rolland'extend inthe direction IThevattachment loop shown inEisfBis an end- --ofthe axis thereof. The-knives-may be formed Iless coridklikel-loopjl which isformd fromt'asecseparately-and detach'ablwmounted-in theroll, tion of'tubularlkiiitted'material. "Such aloop or theymay'be'formed integralwith ther'olL-so maybe formed from a section 26f, tubularknitted that the-cutter is somewhat similar toaconven- =material. takenifromwa' length a: such material, tiorial milling cutter usedinthef metal working which thewales offltheflknitted, material exarts. ltendlen gthwise,offthetubing. asliridicatedat 2 a, The anvilfi consists of a hardened'steel block r so ("that the tubing is .'stretchable transversely I 5' suitably'mounted on'aibedplatef' 16. Thefbed lbuttnot in thedirection-offits length. .A section I zplate'is verticallyislidably guidedbysuitable'rib ofvltiibular' knitted material, su'ch as represented and slot formationsin"theedgesof the bedrplate 'by' the sectionfz in"Fjg.'4, maybe-madeinto the and on the adjacent; faces of: theposts" lzxland cord=like form"illustrated in Fishy-merely it is vertically adjustably supportedbyi means -'clisterithng"land 'stretchingthe section-crosswise ofascrewpost l'l. Thescrew post isthreaded of its lengthwr'a'xis. *Because ofjthe" character into a socketlB-"WhicheXtends upwardly from isms-or knitted-material, "the section" Will-roll i'the e pper end f'said screwpost-is provided with a collar l9 and a reduced diameter extension 20 which fits into a socket in a thrust block 2|. The thrust block 2| has an approximately semi-spherical socket 22 in its upper face which receives a corresponding semi-spherical projection 23 which depends from the bed plate l6. This arrangement permits the bed plate to have universal rocking movement on the upper end of the thrust block 2|.

The collar I9 is provided with spanner wrench openings 24 or other suitable means whereby the screw post I1 may be rotated to effect adjustment of the overlying parts up or down as may be desired. For leveling the bed plate l6 and the parts supported thereon, there are provided adjusting screws represented at 25, which are threaded into suitable brackets 26 carried'by the frame posts [2. The screws 25 have headed upper ends bearing against the under side of the bed plate and lock nuts 21 for engaging the upper faces of the brackets 26 to lock the respective screws in the desired position of vertical adjustment.

The anvil block I is provided with a pair of slots 28 in its upper surface, these slots being spaced in accordance with the desired distance between the bonds 1 in each line of slitting in the tubing. It will be seen that because of the presence of the slots 28, the cutting effect of the successive, continuous edged knives M will be interruptedfor a distance corresponding substantially to the width of the said slots. This width is made such that an adequate but easily broken bond will remain between the tubing sections on opposite sides of each line of severance. In one embodiment of the structure, the slots are approximately wide and the slots extend the full length of the anvil which is approximately 3 inches. The slots are spaced apart for severing tubing which, when collapsed to fiattened tape-like form, measures about 1 inches in width, the slots being approximately centered with reference to the width of the collapsed tubing fed over the anvil. This arrangement produces the partially severed tubing illustrated in Fig. 4 wherein four bonds 1 remain between the adjacent sections of tubing, 1. e. 2 bonds in each ply. The lines of severance may, in one embodiment, be spaced about one inch to 1%, inches apart. The various dimensions just referred to are not critical and'may be considerably varied.

As shown in Fig. 1, the partially-severed length of tubing 8 may be fed under a spindle 23 which is carried by an arm 30. The arm is pivoted as shown at 3| on a suitable support so that the spindle 23 may gravitate toward an underlying belt 32. The belt 32 is continuously driven by any suitable means (not shown) in the direction indicated in Fig. 1, so that the belt will feed the slitted tubing away from the slitting mechanism and wind such tubing in a roll on the spindle. The rolling of the tubing on the spindle may be manually initiated. The belt is driven at the same speed that the tubing issues from between the cutter 5 and anvil 6.

It is preferable that the partially severed tube 8 be permitted to hang in a loop 8a between the cutting mechanism 5 and 6 and the rewinding belt and spindle so that the partially severed material will not be subjected to any significant lengthwise tension which would tend to break or pull out the small bonds 1.

Each bond 1 consists of a short length of thread, usually constituting one or two links of knitting, which can be easily pulled out. The

bonds 1 remain intermediate the adjacent ends of aligned slit portions 33 (see Figs. 4 and 6) which extend transversely of the tubing and through both plies of the fiattened or collapsed tubing. From an examination of Fig. 6 it can be seen that the bond 1 consists of a short length of thread having free or unanchored ends. This bond thread can easily slip'out of one of the two sections which it connects, a relatively light pull being suflicient to effect separation of the sections by pulling out the bond as indicated.

Instead of rewinding the partially severed tubing into a roll 34 for subsequent use, the tubing may be directed over said continuously driven belt or conveyor 32 and around a mandrel 35 of suitable round or oval cross section having a.

= tapered receiving end portion 36 onto which the tube 8 is directed. The normal diameter of the mandrel 36 is somewhat larger than the inside diameter of the finished loop I so that each. section of the tubular material is stretched as it is-advanced along the mandrel to an enlarged diameter from which it may contract slightly to the desired finished loop diameter.

A pair of-feeding wheels 31 and 38 are associated with a portion of the mandrel to effect feeding of the tubing 8 over the receiving end of the mandrel, separation of the sections of said tubing into relatively independent separate sections, advancement of the sections successively over an intermediate, expanding portion 39 of the mandrel, and delivery of the stretched and rolled loops to a loop collecting or storage section of the mandrel.

When the tubing is to be broken into sections and stretched into cord-like loops for attachment to the ends of sanitary napkins, the end of the tubing taken either directly fromthe slitting mechanism or from a supply roll, such as the roll I4, is fed over the tapered end portion 36 of the mandrel 35, such feeding being started manually. The partially severed tubing may, of course, be manually started over the mandrel to such a point that the leading section of the tubing will be engaged by a pair of opposed fingers 40 of the upper and lower rotary feeders 31 and 38. These fingers engage the tubing and serve both to break the leading sections from the length of tubing and to continue the advancing movement of the tubing onthe receiving end portion of the mandrelr It will .be understood that while the bonds between adjacent sections of the tubing are easily broken, there is nevertheless sufficient drag on the following portion of the tubing to cause it to advance on the receiving end portion of the mandrel. Successive pairs of fingers 40 are thereby enabled to engage successive tubing sections to continue the breaking of end sections from the tubing and feeding of the tubing on the mandrel.

The rotary members 31 and 38 and their fingers 40, at least the latter, are constructed of soft, flexible rubber which will yield to and more or less conform to the contour of the portion of the mandrel between the members. These feeding members are so arranged that they will not only feed the tubing on the mandrel and break the sections apart but will also feed the separated sections forwardly over the expander portion 39 of the mandrel whereby the sections are stretched and caused to roll upon themselves into cord-like. form. As the stretching and roll ing of the tubing progresses over theexpander portion 33 the fingers of the tubing feed or breaker rolls 31 and 36 pass over the tube-sec- C55 dioms so that' successive flngersa engage each-separated se'ction to push italong. the imandrel. iThe action is'z'morelorless: a brushing actioniwhereby nthe-aseparated: sectionseare vfrictionally brushed stretched andacordeda .loops along athe'amand-rel wwhieh guides the -sleeps; tOfivIllGI-ihfilliSHl foraauto- .amaticallyzapplyingithefsloopsctoi the napkins.

:Jn'steadaofremploying: the itubea-separating'; and

expanding mechanism in direct associationwith the: slittingamechanismas fdescribed,r;the tubing g-Imay zbe suppliedistormheiseparating anchi'expand- 'ng:-mechanisin ztrom-irollsasuch: as l'atheairoll fl. :ssuch-atrollsmayibesupported:onxav-suitablespindle 3101': others support and '?delivered 'idireotlya-to .the

--sreceiving. end of theizmandrel i oretoz a' feeding' belt eors rollz. mechanism -(not: shown) an-di-thenceflto --theamandrel. flmeitheriprocedure; theybondsires-maining between-ithe tubing; sections are strong aenough::totmaintain: the acontinuityofr'thel tubing untilsit iszdelivered tov the mandrelandthe' action :of; .the feeders 37;: and 38. As .-:the :tubing advances on the -mandrel? the efrictionali resistance to its: movement gradually increases-1 especially: as-

the: expanderiiporition of; the :mandrel' iis- -encoum "-,teredsozthat-thcre isl sufiicientresistancelto continuedtmovementiof. the tubing-sovernthea mandrel to; enable'athe; abreaker'swheels toiipull theileading mention v of zthei-itubingf' from" x-the ,followingsportion :-1thereof.

.1 In 1- some instancea 'iae pair of f-suitably -:-'driven feed belts represented aiifflandallI-Fign2): imay aalso-zbe associatediwith-sthe 'receiving'end portion .cofz-ithes-mandrelito; deliveri the. .partiazllyr severed t tubing :toigsaid; rec eivingi portion'vofxithe imandrel.

risuch :beltssshouldaoverlap the receiving'end porz-tion ofithemandrelisor asato: exert veryitli'g-htpressure ioni-the?ltubingiibetween'fthezrespective-belts and the lmandrelathereby to :moreior zlessrelieve the sbonds"1-;ofspul1 .;incident totther initial sportionnof the-s'movement of ithe tubing Roverthe umandrel.

:Ilhta described; structure. .-is1of 1-simple' ccharacter,

continuous; and quietuin cmeration and-highly:

.1 eflicient. It-xisi flexiblein that thes-ltubingz may be slitted and stretched as a continuing operationgand .theastretched or corded loops fed directly to mechanism whereby they are attached to the endsof a sanitarynapkin, or the tubing :marbesl n s o ed-i therm-p u p1rro11s of slitted tubing ready for subsequentseparation and conversion ,into ,4 /.cord. -li ke "loops. Various changes 'maybemade in the described structure without departing from'the'invention.

" I-claim:

1. iiApparatus iorpreparing iloops for"; attachlments to sani-tarymnapkin tabs or the like-"comprising tcooperating cutting elements arranged -=tocut am-lengthmf tubing transversely: andap-rm.

vided= with meansfor-"causingl the lineor sev- -'-erance to' -be interruptedso as to leaveJ-readily I breakable spacedbondsinterconnecting the; tube sections en opposite sides-bf each linea-v-of sevsevered tubing- -into a roll.

Apparatus for preparing loops for attachment to sanitary napkin tabs or the like, comprising cooperating cutting elements arranged to cut a length of knit tubing transversely and providedzwithrmeansi'for causing the zlineofs sever- =anceato be interruptedasos as:- 1305165176 readily rbreakablez-spaced sbonds interconnecting thestube -seotions on -opposite-=sides ofeachii liner of sever- 5 anee;:aamandrelshaying areceiving 'endmportion of reduced diameter which is a' g'radually ex- 'pand'ed, said zisevereditubing -b'eing: "fed to said mandrel I end; and means' for -ieeding the severed tube; along said--=man'drel from -its receivingend 1 0 and toperative'. to break said bonds-so as to\ separate :the -sections one -frem -another: and. to: also i; advance 18911 1 separatedsections over the expended portion of the mandrel to: thereby expand said sectionssand- --to cause them" to roll 15 c :upon themselves into cordslike lkform.

3. Apparatusfor zpreparing -loops -for attachf menti-to sanitary napkin tabsvor the :like, comprising a' rotary cutter havlng a series of' circumferentiallyi spaced knives projecting from its zo periphery anda extending in the' direction of the "-a,XlS Of=-th8 I'Ot&1y member; an anvil cooperating with: said knivesto. sever material fed between -said cutter; and anvi1-,'- said kniveshaving: continuous:cuttingledges -andsaid anvil being provided withta recessfork-interrupting the 'cutsproduced by said-knives'to' thereby aprovide bends :between the+ material sections on opposite a sides ofthe lines of severance, and means for receiving said severedi material and-winding the-sameinto a IOII 4 tin -apparatus of the class-i described; a man- 0' dre having: a tapered portion-aadapted toqenter an'd' distend collapsed tubing 1 which: is partially severed transversely am "such a manner as to leave' easilybreakable bonds connecting the sectionsof ii the material -on opposite sides of I the lines of --severances and means for engaging the eleading end. portion ;of 2 :the distended -material on. sai-d -mandrelsoas :to advance the same along 40 said x-mandr'el and th'ereby incidentally break the bonds connecting the successive -sectionsof the 2 tube to: thereby-complete the: severance of said sections i saidengaging means comprising a -rotary l-member having aepluralityof fingers of -resilient!fiexible material which= are successively eengageable with: said materialas an-incident to rotation of the-member.

5. apparatus of the class described, a mandrel having? a taperednportion:adapted to enter and distendx collapsed knitted:' tubing which is :-partiallyseveredtransversely in such a manner as i to' eleave easily k-breakable :xbonds connecting the-- sections' of the material-on opposite sides of the: :linesof severance anda means for engaging the tdi'stendedamaterial ion said mandrel so 4 as to iiadvance :lthe :same ialong *said mandrel and iiithereby incidentally zbreak :lthe bonds connect- 5 :ing? thasuccessive: sectionsfof -the: tubeto'thereby eomplete ithe @iseverance of said sections, said -mandrel having=a portion of-zgradually. increased diameter over which said sections are fed by said sengagingtameans-rto lthereby- -eifect stretching of said sectionsaso asflto cause the same to=roll upon -themselves Yin-to cord -llike form.

rid-film apparatus ef the" class described;-a manrtdr'el havings a tapered portion adapted to enter and distendi collapsed knitted tubing which is partially severed= vtransversely in such: a manner asto-leave-easily breakable bonds-connecting the id-sections of the material on opposite sides of the a rlines. 10f: severance,-=means for: engaging the distended material on said mandrel so as to advance the same along said mandrel and thereby incidentally break the bonds connecting the successive sections of the tube to thereby complete the severance of said sections, said mandrel having a portion of graduallyincreased diameter over which said sections are fed by said engaging means to thereby-effect stretching of said sections so as to. cause the same to roll upon themselves into cord-like form, and means for feeding said stretched loops alongisaid mandrel.

7. Apparatus, according to claim 4, wherein the material feeding means consists of a pair of rolls, each having flexible fingers projecting from their peripheries and arranged on opposite sides of said mandrel to successively engage opposed portions of said tubular material as an incident to rotation of-said rolls. 1

8. Material for preparing attachment loops for sanitary'napkins, comprising knitted tubular material which is partially severed along transversely extending lines which, are spaced lengthwise of the length of tubing, the lines of severance extending in the direction of the threads in the material and being incomplete so as to leave short thread lengths interconnecting the sections of the material on opposite sides of the lines of severance, whereby the sections are readily separable from each other by pulling said short thread lengths awayifrom either of a pair of adjacent sections as a part of the other thereof. i p i 9. A method of producing endless, cord-like, textile material loops, comprising the steps of providing 'a length of continuously uniformly knitted tubing in flattened collapsed condition, cutting through both plies of the flattened tube discontinuously across the width thereof and adjacent an end of said length of tubing so as to leave at least one bond consisting of one or more knit-formed links which may be easily pulled out of the tubing, whereby anend portion of the length of tubing may be easily separated from the length of tubing but remains integrally connected thereto.

10. A method of producing endless, cord-like, textile material loops, comprising the steps of providing a length of continuously uniformly 'knitted tubing in flattened collapsed condition, cut ting through both plies of the flattened tube discontinuously across the width thereof at predetermined spaced intervals so as to demarcate tube sections of predetermined length, the discontinuity of the lines of severance being such as to leave in each line of severance atleast one or more knit-formed links which may be easily pulled out of the tubing, whereby said tube sections remain integrally connected but are easily separable.

11. A method of producing endless, cord-like, textile material loops, comprising the steps of providing a length of continuously uniformly knitted tubing in flattened collapsed condition, cutting through both plies of the flattened tube discontinucusly across the width thereof and adjacent an end of said length of tubing so as to leave at least one bond consisting of one or more knit-formed links which may be easily pulled out of the tubing, separating such end portion from said tubing length, and distending'and stretching the separated section transversely of the axis of the section, whereby said section is caused to roll upon itself into cord-like form.

12. A method of producing endless, cord-like, textile material loops, comprising the steps of providing alength of continuously uniformly 8 knittedtubing in flattened "collapsed condition, cutting-through both plies of the flattened tube discontinuously across the width thereof at predetermined spaced intervals so as to demarcate tube sections'of predetermined length, the discontinuity of the lines of severance-being such as to leave in each line of severance at least one or more knit-formed links which may be easily pulled out of thetubing, whereby said tube sections remain integrally connected but are easily separable, successively separating from said length of tubing, the end sections thereof, and distendingand stretching the separated sections transversely of the axes of the sections whereby said sections are caused "to roll upon themselves into cord-like form.

13. Apparatus for preparing sanitary napkin attachment loops, comprising cooperating cutting elements for cutting a length of tubing transversely at predetermined longitudinally spaced points to demarcate successive tube sections, said cutting elements being such as to provide'discontinuous'lines of severance leaving readily breakable spaced bonds interconnecting the tube sections on oppo'sitesides' of each line of severance, said cutting elements being operative to sever flattened tubular knit material, a mandrel having a tapered receiving end portion adapted to enter and 'distend said severed collapsed tubing,and means for engaging'the distended tubing on said mandreland effecting separation'from the tubing of end sections thereof and advancement of such sections along said mandrel, said mandrel having aportion of gradually expanding cross section over which said sections are advanced as aforesaid, and whereby said sections are stretched transversely and thereby caused to roll 'upon themselves into cord-like form.

' 14; Sanitary napkin attachment loop material comprising tubular knitted material collapsed to flat, tape-like condition,'said flattened tube being partially severed transversely at longitudinally spaced points in such a manner as to leave bonds consisting of one or more knit-formed loops interconnecting the-sections of the. material on opposite sides of the lines of partial severance, said interconnecting loops in said bonds being few enough in number to permit the respective bonds to be easily withdrawn from the material as an incident to oppositely directed forces exerted on sections on opposite sides of a line of severance.

GEORGE E. KLOCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

v UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Bausher July 18, 1959 

